Formula 1 returns to Africa: Rwanda signs 10-year deal for Grand Prix in early 2030s
KIGALI: Rwanda has signed a 10-year deal to host the Rwanda Grand Prix, bringing Formula 1 back to Africa for the first time in more than 30 years. The first race is expected in the early 2030s.
The announcement came at a press conference in Kigali on Tuesday, where Formula 1 chief executive Stefano Domenicali appeared alongside Rwandan President Paul Kagame and FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem. The race will be staged at a new purpose-built circuit in Bugesera, about 40 kilometres south of the capital, next to a new international airport that is under construction.
Rwanda Grand Prix: first African race since 1993
The last Formula 1 race on African soil was the 1993 South African Grand Prix at Kyalami, won by Frenchman Alain Prost driving for Williams-Renault. Rwanda will become only the third African country to host a championship Grand Prix, after Morocco, which staged a race outside Casablanca in 1958, and South Africa.
“Today is a landmark moment for Formula One,” Domenicali said at the announcement. “With Rwanda joining the calendar from the next decade, our sport will race in every inhabited continent, bringing the world championship closer than ever to fans around the globe.” Formula 1 says Africa is home to more than 100 million fans, and that number keeps growing.
Why Kigali won the race
Rwanda announced its bid in December 2024, the same month it hosted the FIA General Assembly. The proposed 6-kilometre circuit in Bugesera is being developed with guidance from former Formula 1 driver Alex Wurz, and is planned to work with the area’s natural elevation changes to create a challenging track.
No official date for the first race has been confirmed, though reports suggest it could take place in 2032 once the circuit is ready early in the next decade. Formula 1 said the race date, circuit milestones and weekend plans would be announced in due course. The sport is expected to avoid Rwanda’s main rainy season, which runs from March to May.
The deal beats out competing proposals from within Africa, including efforts to bring Formula 1 back to South Africa’s Kyalami circuit. Seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton has long argued that a championship calling itself global should race in Africa.
What it means beyond the track
For Rwanda, the race is part of a wider sports strategy. The country has funded high-profile partnerships with clubs like Arsenal and Paris Saint-Germain in recent years to position itself as a business and tourism destination.
“The circuit in Bugesera, alongside the new international airport, will bring jobs, skills, tourism and new business to our country and our region for decades to come,” Kagame said. “Our aim was never a single race weekend, but a lasting benefit for our people.” Domenicali said the deal reflected a determination to build a sustainable presence in Africa rather than a short-term addition to the calendar.
A growing motorsport following in Pakistan
Formula 1’s fan base in Pakistan has grown steadily, with local coverage of the sport expanding across digital platforms. Feature Pakistan has tracked the 2026 season closely, including the unveiling of Mercedes’ new Formula 1 car design, the FIA’s haze restrictions at the Singapore Grand Prix, and Max Verstappen’s rain-hit victory at the Bahrain Grand Prix earlier this year. Morocco, the first African country to host a Grand Prix, made headlines again recently when it named its first woman prime minister.
Frequently asked questions
When will the Rwanda Grand Prix take place?
Formula 1 says the race will begin in the early 2030s, once the new Bugesera circuit is complete. No official date has been confirmed, though 2032 has been suggested.
When did Formula 1 last race in Africa?
The last championship race on the continent was the 1993 South African Grand Prix at Kyalami, won by Alain Prost.
Where will the race be held?
At a new 6-kilometre circuit in Bugesera, about 40 kilometres south of Kigali, next to a new international airport.
